Colleges Ontario Applications at an All-Time High

Students pursuing college programs will help address the skills mismatch in Ontario.

Colleges Ontario brought good news to Ontario’s 24 public colleges: 180,000 people are seeking to enrol in first-year, full-time programs, bringing college applications to an all-time high. This includes a 40 per cent increase in the number of university graduates who are also pursuing college programs.

“Growing numbers of students continue to recognize the value of pursuing career-focused post-secondary programs,” said Linda Franklin, president and CEO of Colleges Ontario. “It’s more important than ever for young people to graduate with the advanced skills and qualifications needed in the new economy.”

The news is especially encouraging, as it comes after The Conference Board of Canada’s report on the skills mismatch in Ontario, which costs the province as much as $24.3 billion a year in lost economic activity and a loss of $3.7 billion annually in tax revenues. Franklin believes that encouraging more students to pursue college programs should help produce the skilled workforce that is needed to strengthen Ontario’s economy.

“Employers and industry advisers are telling us they need workers who have the problem-solving abilities and the skills to hit the ground running,” said Franklin. “The robust range of high-quality college programs provides the critical thinking and training needed to fit right into the economy.”

“We will continue to work with businesses, governments and others to promote college programs that prepare people for long-term success,” Franklin added. “Producing more college graduates will help close the skills gap and ensure more people have the opportunity to find meaningful work.”